As always, we've been busy combing through all the Play Store's latest entries during the past month. Besides publishing our larger, semi-weekly roundups, we try to separate out the very best. In the interest of saving readers time and – more importantly – money in trying out all the games we discuss each month, we assemble a shortlist of the games you can't miss. If you're looking to spice up your games library, any of these picks would be a great choice.

Just like last month, we'll discuss our top picks, followed by a list of honorable mentions that are also worth at least looking into if your gaming appetite still isn't sated. Plus, we've got new graphics!

Finding Teddy

As someone who fell in love with Superbrothers Sword and Sworcery, Finding Teddy was an easy choice. The game shares S&S' mildly dark, yet playful vibe and also doesn't skimp on beautiful, pixelized landscapes.

The story is predicated on a teddy bear's mysterious abduction by some sort of tentacled beast. Naturally, the main character goes to the closet to investigate, only to find herself walking into a mysterious point-and-click world populated by various creatures, plants, frogs, and pickup items.

The game itself is bedeviling at times, but the segments are quite gratifying once you figure them out. If you like a puzzling experience you can take at your own pace, or beguiling pixel graphics, Finding Teddy is a great play.

Tetris Blitz

After a soft release in April, EA finally brought Tetris Blitz to worldwide availability last month. If you've ever played Tetris, you already know the basics of this game. Like EA's other Blitz titles though, Tetris Blitz introduces a race against the clock, along with social leaderboards and a few explosions.

The game also has some pretty nice controls, allowing for "drag-and-place" as well as one-touch control schemes.

If you've been yearning for a colorful, frenzied Tetris experience on your mobile device, now's your chance. Did I mention the game is free?

Indiana Stone

Indiana Stone, like our earlier entry Finding Teddy, uses a pixelated art style, but adds a twist – the game is built by what I can only compare to 3D pixels (which, thanks to a commenter, I've just learned are called Voxels). That isn't where the interest ends with Indiana Stone though. From a quick glance you might think it's another endless runner. In a sense, it is, except it has plenty of different, unique levels, and a significant twist in concept – you are the boulder chasing the endless runner.

Yes, that's right – you play the roll (see what I did there?) of a boulder, whose objective is to smash into an Indiana Jones-like character who is dragging away a precious idol attached to a rope. Dodging obstacles and hitting speed boosts along the way, you'll eventually catch up to the thieving adventurer, at which point his motionless pixel body will be dragged off by an airplane. Even if you're deep inside an Egyptian pyramid.

Besides having a unique style and addicting gameplay, Indiana Stone is downright fun.

Punch Quest

Did you ever want to punch a skeleton, bat, or other ghoul right in the face? What about riding a freshly-hatched T-Rex that shoots laser blasts from its mouth? If these are things that sound appealing to you, you're in luck. You can do all this and more … from your mobile device!

Punch Quest, which launched in the Play Store last month, will take you on a veritable tour of face-punching through lairs, dungeons, and other spooky locales, with plenty of powerups along the way, including the atomic fist and the fist of gnome star.

Other perks include magical gnomes, character customization, really fancy hats, and even a combo system. All for just $0.99.

Daddy Was a Thief

If you've got a latent desire to rob banks, Rebel Twins has you covered with Daddy Was a Thief. In the cartoony time-waster, the premise is simple – smash through floors and floors of banks, casinos, and residential rooms to steal all the coins you can carry, while wearing a variety of accessories or playing as various thieves, and making use of any number of available powerups to aid in your unlawful escapades.

The game promises it will be different "every time you play," and it's free. If you're looking for a great way to kill a few spare minutes, hit the widget.

Final Thoughts

If you want something to waste a few minutes, bend your brain, or just keep things interesting, the games above are all winners. If, however, you didn't find anything in this month's short list that interests you, just keep an eye out for our frequent larger roundups.

In other words, tiny cubes:)
Now that is mentioned, I'm wondering why no one cares about voxel modeling anymore. I miss Red Alert 2 and the badass Kirov:(

MarkN

Not as easy to render with modern video hardware

Haunter

Voxel is a fun word to say. ^_^

jmlares

Tetris Blitz is awful. I mean, I KNOW how to play Tetris, and that is NOT Tetris. Although control-wise, it's a huge improvement to the original that came out for smartphones. Still, the gameplay is horrible.

virtuacarl

100% agree! I was hoping this would be similar to Donkey Kong Tetris from Tetris DS, but it is far from that.

jmlares

Yeah, I got the original version of Tetris for my 3DS, miles better. Although I will say that the rework of the music is pretty neat on Blitz.

HellG

Finding teddy, daddy was a thief are a personal favorites i advise everyone to try them both,I will be trying the other 3, thanks A LOT liam, great list :)

GigiAUT

What the hell is the point in buying devices with HD screens when everyone keeps making the same pixelated sh**? Yes, a lot of us grew up playing 8-bit consoles and yes, there are some good games right now, but that's a fad that seriously needs to stop.

Hans Pedersen

I think that retro mentality is pretty much there because more complex games doesn't work well with touch screen. I saw a Firaxis promo thingy a few days ago and they seem to think the same, that touch isn't for really complex gaming. Though, I hope that that company will release a fully touch optimized version of Civilization anyway. :)

crackcaffeine

In theory, it allows developers to devote more resources on gameplay and game design, rather than merely trying to one-up each other in a ridiculous arms race for the best graphics (often at the gamer's expense).

It's expensive to make a game. Even more so when you're trying to put in photo-realistic textures just so that people take your game seriously.

Matthew Fry

OMG all those HD edges though. Mmmmmm

jeremy

Beguiling and bedeviling in the same paragraph? Wow!

Funem

Indiana Stone is a great game, worth the small price for the bursts of occasional fun.